Gayang-dong rental apartment fire kills disabled mother and son

A devastating fire in a rental apartment in Seoul's Gayang-dong claimed the lives of a mother with a physical disability and her son, who was her primary caregiver. The blaze broke out on the 15th floor of the apartment building around 4:55 p.m. on Tuesday.

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The mother was bedridden. Her son was unable to work because he had to take care of her.

Firefighters discovered the bodies of the 60-year-old mother and her 30-year-old son in the apartment's garden after extinguishing the flames. The mother was reportedly suffering from a cerebral palsy.

Another resident from an adjacent apartment was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Approximately 40 residents were evacuated from the building. The fire was largely contained within 20 minutes.

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The father, who was outside when the fire broke out, was seen weeping, unable to enter the burning building.

Neighbors described the mother as bedridden and her son as unable to work due to the need to care for her. The father, who was outside at the time of the fire, was reportedly distraught. The apartment building, constructed in 1992, houses many elderly residents and individuals with disabilities, raising concerns about fire safety in older structures.

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I saw flames and quickly put on whatever clothes I could find and ran out.

Fire authorities and police are currently investigating the precise cause and circumstances surrounding the fatal fire.

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Safety equipment like gas automatic shut-off devices were installed, but I don't know how such a large fire started.